The Last Innocent Man

Darlene hadn’t thought about the story she would use to lure the trick to Ortiz. Ortiz leaned against the side of the car watching her.

“I’ll tell him I have a car in the lot and the keys to my room are in it. How’s that?”

Ortiz stood up and stretched.

“Good. There’s enough shadow here to keep me Kidden until you’re almost to the car.”

“Okay,” Darlene said. She turned her back to Ortiz and started across the parking lot. There were butterflies in her stomach, and she had a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. She always did when she was nervous, and she was suddenly nervous and a little scared.

“Darlene,” Ortiz called after her, “don’t take any chances.”

DARLENE HAD BEENstanding near the corner for fifteen minutes when the beige Mercedes drove by the first time. She got a fast look at the driver as he went by. Blond, good-looking. He had smiled at her. Darlene had smiled back, hoping he would stop, but he hadn’t. Darlene had no idea why she had brought the rabbit coat along. It was way too hot for it. If she didn’t get a nibble soon, she was determined to take it back to the lot. She glanced back toward Ortiz but couldn’t spot him in the shadows.

The Mercedes drove by again and pulled to the curb across the street. The man signaled to her and she walked toward him, remembering to swing her hips as she went. She had to concentrate to keep from stumbling in her high-heel boots.

“Nice night,” the man said. He was a little nervous, but trying to be cool, Darlene thought.

“Nice enough,” she said. “What are you doin’ drivin’ around in this big old car all by your lonesome?”

The man smiled. Probably married, Darlene thought. Where was the little woman while Papa was out cavorting? Bridge club? Maybe home watching TV while hubby is at a “business” meeting. She could imagine how that pretty face was going to look when Papa had to explain to Mama that he had been arrested for prostitution.

“I’m just driving around, looking for a little fun. How about yourself?”

“I’m just hangin’ around, sugar. Lookin’ for a little fun myself.”

“I know a place where we can have a lot of fun. You want to come along?”

Darlene leaned over and rested her elbows on the window of the car. The top buttons of her sweater were open, and the blond man couldn’t keep his eyes off her cleavage. This close, she could smell the liquor on his breath. He had been doing some heavy drinking, but he appeared to be able to hold it.

“I’d love to have some fun, sugar. What kind of fun did you have in mind?”

“Fun. You know,” he said evasively.

The trick was getting more agitated. Maybe he was new at the game. Darlene was beginning to get impatient. She wanted him to say the magic words so she could make her first arrest.

“Are you thinkin’ of the kind of fun I’m thinkin’ about?” she asked with a smile that she hoped looked lascivious.

The trick looked up and down the street.

“Look,” he said, “why don’t you get in and we can talk about it?”

“You have any money, sugar?” Darlene asked, trying to speed things up. The blond looked startled.

“Why?”

“The type of fun I’m thinking about could get expensive.”

The trick seemed very agitated. His eyes were darting back and forth rapidly.

“Look,” he said, “I don’t want to stand around here. There are cops all over. If you want to get in, get in.”

Darlene patted the wig with her right hand.

“Why are you worried about cops? I don’t see any cops.”

“I can’t wait anymore. Do you want to do business or not?”

Darlene felt her stomach churning. So close. She didn’t want this one to get away. If she could just make him wait a minute. She was almost there.

ORTIZ SAT UPwhen the Mercedes slowed down. He slouched back down in the front seat of the unmarked car when it sped up and drove on. This whole assignment was a waste of time, he thought. Busting some poor slob who wanted a little pussy and had to pay for it. That wasn’t why he’d joined the force. Why did they have to take him out of narcotics just as he was beginning to get some heavy action? And working with Darlene Hersch…Jesus H. Christ, if that wasn’t the luck of the draw. Miss Tight Ass herself. Then again, maybe she wasn’t such a tight ass. Sometimes it was the ones who gave you the hardest time that wanted it the most and just wouldn’t admit it to themselves. He wondered what she’d be like in bed. Good old Darlene. He chuckled to himself. Probably want to be on top. She sure acted like it most of the time.

There was that Mercedes again. And it was stopping. Ortiz sat up. Darlene was wiggling over and talking to the driver. He couldn’t see much of the guy from this distance.

She was leaning over now and resting on the ledge of the driver’s window. Must be a live one. Yup, she was patting her wig. Now all she had to do was get him to drive into the lot.